Hand tool



Dec. 26, 1939. T. s. VOSBIKIAN ET AL HAND TOOL Filed April 23, 193B Egg 1 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED. s

,is, s

HAND TOOL Application April 23, 1938, Serial No. 203,764

5 Claims.

The object of our present invention is to devise a hand tool having a novel compound movement which can be used in the construction of a large variety of tools, such as for example, hedge shears, pruning shears, grass shears, tinners sni-ps, pliers, wire cutters, rivet cutters, electricians pliers, shears having straight, curved or gooseneck blades, cable cutting shears, rose bush cutters, tailor scissors and pipe pliers having different contours of blades.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel construction wherein one or both of the cutting or gripping jaws are provided with slots, and one of the handle members acts as a cam against one of the jaws to effect a forward and turning movement of one jaw relatively to the other jaw, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the cutting or gripping action.

. A further object of the invention is to devise a novel construction of jaws and handles of a hand tool and novel means for connecting the jaws with the handles.

Other novel features. of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, We have shown in the accompanying drawing, preferred embodiments of it, which, in practice,

. willgive satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that these embodiments are typical only and the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hand tool, embodying our invention, and partly in section for the sake of clearness of illustration.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 the handle being removed.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a detail showing the jaws in open position.

Figure 5 is a top plan view partly in section of the hand tool, with one of the handles removed. I

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure I is a detail of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a plan View, partly broken away of another embodiment of our invention.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:

9 designates a hand tool embodying our inthe description of Figure 8.

vention and provided with jaws iii and H and a grasping handle consisting of the handle members i2 and E3. The handle members are in the form of channels pivoted together at their for ward ends as at it and a spring i5 centered by 5' pins it and H tends to move the handle members apart and the jaws into their open position. This spring may act against the handle members as shown in Figure l, or against the jaws as} shown in Figure 8.

The jaw id is pivotally connected with the jaw i i by a pivot forming fastening device it located at one side of the center line of the hand tool. At the opposite side of the center line of the hand tool the jaws are connected by a pin and slot connection, the jaw ii having a pivot forming fastening device is which passes through a cam slot 28 in the jaw id and is fixed to the jaw H. As illustrated, the fastening device it is in the form of a bolt in threaded engagement with the jaw M and provided with a locking nut.

The jaw it has a rearwardly extending arm pivotally connected with the handle member l2 by means of a pivot member 22 located in a selected opening 23 in the handle member 52.

The jaw i i has a rearwardly extending arm 25, the opposite side of the center line of the hand tool from that at which the arm 2i is located, and such arm 25 is pivotally connected with the handle member it by a pivot forming fastening device 25 in a selected opening 2% in the handle member iii.

The base of each jaw is preferably broad and flat to form cooperating slidingia'ces.

The bottom or base edge of the jaw it in Figures 1, 2 and 5 forms a cam face 2'? and the inner end portion of the handle it is provided with a cam face 28 to augment the power created by the closing of the handle. This is of special advantage if the device is to be used as metal shears for the cutting of iron or steel, but for grass shears or utensils which do not require so much power this extra cam action between the handle and a jaw may be omitted as will be explained in The jaws and handle members may be locked in their closed position by a locking member $29 pivoted on the pivot forming member is and having its inner edge curved as at 39 to partially surround the inner end of the handle l2, see Figure 1. The arms of the jaws may have a shoulder 31 which contacts a wall 32 of their respective handles when the jaws are closed. This is more clearly shown in Figure 8.

The embodiment seen in Figure 7 isthe same as that shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, except that the blade I I has a slot 33 through which the pivot forming member I8 passes.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 8, the handle I3 has a clearance with the jaw I0 and pins 34 are integral with the jaw arms to receive a spring 35 corresponding in function to the pins I6 and I1 and spring I5 of Figure 1.

It will be understood that if the hand tool is to be used as a cutting implement, the jaws will be in the form of blades having conventional cutting edges as shown.

The operation of our novel hand tool will now be clear to those skilled in this art and is as follows:

In Figure 4 the jaws are shown in their open position, in Figure 1, partially closed, and in Figure 5 fully closed.

Due to the novel manner in which the jaws are connected together and with their handle members, a novel and very eflicient gripping or cutting action is obtained. The pivot I l may be considered as a fixed pivot and when the handle members are closing the pivots 22 and 25 move inwardly and rearwardly on arcs of circles having the pivot I4 as a common center. The pivot forming member I I moves rearwardly and inwardly. As the jaws are pivoted together by such member I8, the jaw I0 turns on the pivot member l8 and at the same time it moves forwardly and inwardly. This movement of the jaws in opposite directions and the leverage action on the jaws provides a powerful and efficient power stroke for gripping or cutting.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, the power is increased by the cam ac-i tion of the inner end of the handle I3 against the base of the blade I9. As the handle I3 is moved inwardly the cam face 2'! acting on the cam face 28 of the blade contributes to increase the pressure on the blade or jaw I0 to effect its closing movement.

It is to be understood that where in the claims we refer to jaws that such jaws may be adapted for gripping or for cutting.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hand tool, comprising jaws pivotally connected together at one side of the center line of the hand tool and having a pin and slot connection at the opposite side of the center line, each jaw having an arm extending rearwardly to the opposite side of the center line, handle members pivotally connected together at their forward ends, with each handle member pivotally connected with an adjacent arm in spaced relation with the pivotal connection of the handle members and one of said handle members and one of the jaws having cooperative cam faces to increase the leverage imparted to such jaw.

2. A hand tool, comprising jaws pivotally con nected with a fixed pivot at one side of the center line of the tool, and having at the opposite side of the center line a pin fixed to one jaw and s t a cam slot in the other jaw eccentric to the fixed pivot and through which said pin passes, each jaw having an arm extending rearwardly to the opposite side of the center line, and handle members pivotally connected together at their forward ends and with each handle member pivotally connected with, its adjacent arm in rear of the pivotal connection at the forward ends of the opposite side of the center line, handle members pivotally connected together at their forward ends and with each handle member pivotally connected with its adjacent arm inrear of the pivotal connection at the forward ends of the handle members, and one of said jaws and the,

forward end of one of said handle membershaving' cooperative cam faces to increase the leverage imparted to such jaw.

4. A hand tool, comprising jaws pivotally-con nected with a fixed pivot at one side of the center line of the tool, and having at the opposite side of the center line a pin fixed to one jaw and a cam slot in the other jaw eccentric to the fixed pivot and through which said pin passes,-each jaw having an arm extending rearwardly to the opposite side of the center line, handle members pivotally connected together "at their forward ends and with each handle member pivotally connected with its adjacent arm in rear of the pivotal connection at the forward'ends of the handle members, a spring tending to open the handle members and thereby the jaws, and means to lock the jaws and handles in closed position, said locking means comprising a locking member pivoted on said pin'and having a curved wall at its free end to partially surround the forward end of one of the handle members.

5. A hand tool, comprising jaws, pivotally connected together at one side of the center.

line with a fixed pivot and at the opposite side of the center line with where-by when one jaw is closing it will move longitudinally of the other jaw during its turning movement, and handle members pivoted to gether at their forward ends and with each member pivoted to its adjacent blade. I

THOMAS s. VOSBIKIAN. PETER s. VOSBIKI'AN.

a movable pivot to I 

